Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Vs Redmi Note 5: A Real Upgrade?

Xiaomi India claimed that the Redmi Note 4 was the number one budget-centric smartphone in 2017. The device had almost everything that a user can ask for in a smartphone in that budget. However, by the end of 2017 things changed. Users were looking for a smartphone with features like bezel-less display and dual cameras, and the Redmi Note 4 had none of those.

Xiaomi recently launched the Redmi Note 5, the successor to the Redmi Note 4. Is this the smartphone that users were anticipating from the brand? Is a rebranded Redmi 5 Plus a worthy upgrade over the Redmi Note 4?

Display

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has a 5.5 inch 1920 x 108px IPS LCD display with prominent bezels. The display is vivid and has great viewing angles. However, it has big bezels and looks dated for today’s standards. However, the Redmi Note 5 has a 5.99 inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080px IPS LCD display. Colours and contrast have been improved over the Redmi Note 4. Finally, the Redmi Note 5 opts for “Full Display” design with a taller 18:9 aspect ratio.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4

Under The Hood

The Redmi Note 4 and Note 5 are powered by the Snapdragon 625 Octa-core chipset. The chipset is based on the 14 nm FinFET architecture with great thermal efficiency and battery life. So, both the devices will offer similar user experience as they use an identical chipset. So, you will not feel a difference in terms of performance.

Design

Except for the display, the smartphones have an identical metal unibody design. However, the design feels old-fashioned in front other smartphones like the Honor 9 Lite.

Left: Redmi Note 4 Right: Redmi Note 5

Camera

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has a 13MP primary camera and the Note 5 has a 12MP primary camera. Though the number of pixels has been decreased, the 1.25-micron pixel size on the Note 5 helps the device to take better photos. Similarly, the Redmi Note 5 also excels in video department with 4K @30fps video recording capability, as the Note 4 maxes out at 1080 @30fps. For the front-facing camera, these phones use an identical 5MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture.

Battery

The Redmi Note 5 has a 4000 mAh battery and the Redmi Note 4 has a slightly bigger 4100 mAh battery. However, the Note 5 does support Quick Charge 2.0 and the Note 4 doesn’t.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Conclusion:

If you have a Redmi Note 4 and happy with the performance but not happy with the display and the camera, then go with the Redmi Note 5. However, if you are not happy with the performance and camera, then better skip the Redmi Note 5, as there are no differences. Similarly, consider the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, which offers better performance with a much better dual camera setup and a front-facing camera with face unlock. It is also powered by the Snapdragon 636 chipset.